About 5 years ago, my husband subscribed to a styling service called The Trunk Club to help him find office styles such as suits and dress shirts, shoes, etc. Through the Trunk Club, he was given a personal stylist who worked with him to identify styles and ship them to our doorstep in a fancy cardboard trunk for him to try on– at no cost- with no commitment!
Color me jealous!! At the time, Trunk Club was strictly styling men only. But, I mean someone shipping cute clothes to your doorstep is every gal’s dream. Am I right?
Well, friends. Earlier this year, I learned that Trunk Club EXPANDED…. and now offers women’s styling services as well– also at no cost to try it out.
You can bet, I jumped right on that.
My stylist, Gretchen set up a time for us to speak about my day to day style (which is mostly super casual), my clothing likes and dislikes (*eh hem* like anything that makes my bottom half appear wider) and any special occasions I had coming up (ie. my daughter’s communion). I gave her my typical sizing in things like jeans, blouses, cotton tops and shoes. Told her about my shoe and accessory addiction and she began her hunt for my very first trunk (which includes 15 items!)
Previewing Your Trunk
Once your stylist has your trunk put together you get an email where you can preview what your stylist has selected before they ship. This is your chance to decline items you are not interested. When you decline your stylist will replace with different styles and ship.
I LOVE this feature.
My first preview, I declined about half of what was selected– I know what your thinking– but no– it was actually great. It really helps give your stylist a better idea of your style and also saves you both from sending/receiving clothes that might be totally off the mark or similar to something you already own. When I declined my items, I shot Gretchen a quick note with comments about why I was declining some of the items and also sent her some ideas of outfits I currently wear (a shared Pinterest board would work great for this). Giving this feedback definitely helped because when I received my trunk, it definitely had things I was looking for and interested in.
Receiving + Returning Your Trunk
When your trunk is delivered you receive an email from your stylist, pairing up all the items in your trunk into outfits. You have 10 days to try on all the clothing and to decide if you want to purchase anything– NO COMMITMENT TO BUY (you can literally send back your entire trunk). NO STYLING FEE. NADA.
Each trunk comes with a return UPS label and tape for you to package it up and schedule for return. They make it super simple and no fuss- which I LOVE.
From my first trunk (collage’s above and below), I only kept a pair of jeans, mostly because most items were out of my price range (I definitely suggest being upfront about your ideal budget with your stylist). I mean I love, love, LOVED the floral and animal print Joie tops SO SO much I think I cried when I returned it… but my husband would have had heart failure if I spent $200+ on a top.
( I previewed all of this on Instagram and Snapchat (@Corine_i), btw! Join me over there, if you arent already)
I am now on my second trunk which had a much better price range and I’m keeping several casual items.
This trunk had a bunch of awesome options for my daughters upcoming communion too. My biggest dilemma with this trunk is deciding which of the dresses to keep.
Right now this one is in the lead.
If you are curious and want to give Trunk Club a try, you can sign up with my referral link here.
My tips to maximize your Trunk Club experience:
– Be upfront and clear about your budgets and price points. For instance, I will spend a little more on an occasion dress or really amazing jeans– whereas my tops are usually in a lower price point.
– Send your stylist a pinboard, pics of your favorite outfits, etc to give them a better sense of your style.
– Try on EVERYTHING. Even if you think you there’s no way you will wear it. When I first tried on that animal print Joie top, I thought meh- it was nothing special– then I tried it on and fell in love (still stalking for a sale).
– Check Nordstrom Sale Prices. Trunk Club is owned by Nordstrom and so most of their styles come from there. If there is a sale going on, they will honor the sale price (not coupons though), so be sure to check pricing online.